In relative terms US military aid to Ukraine is tens times less than from other allies
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy has published a second report on the amount of assistance to Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russian aggression. This time, the time coverage of the analysis was tripled - from January 24, 2022 (the date when some of NATO troops was put on alert) until April 23, 2022. The Institute's database takes into account three main types of assistance - financial, humanitarian, military. Below are the data mainly on the military component of the aid. The amount of US military assistance has been corrected in accordance with official Pentagon statements.
From January 24 to April 23, Ukraine's 26 allies provided it with military assistance worth $10.2 billion. On average for these 26 countries, military aid provided to Ukraine over the three months amounted to 0.025% of their combined GDP, 0.89% of their annual military spending, $11.8 per capita.
The military aid provided to Ukraine as of April 23 is 3.6 times more than the estimated total military aid during the first month of the war, from February 24 to March 27. While military assistance from Ukraine's largest allies has grown at a very high rate (from Poland - almost 27 times, Germany - 11 times, Great Britain - 3.7 times), military assistance from the United States increased much more slowly - by only 2.7 times.
In terms of the absolute size of military aid, the United States is still in the lead - 3.9 billion dollars for last three months. However, due to a faster increase in military assistance from other countries, the share of the United States in total military assistance to Ukraine decreased from 52.3% on March 27 to 38.9% on April 23.
In terms of the relative size of military aid, the United States not only lags far behind Ukraine’s other allies, but this gap even widens, being now:
- in terms of military aid per capita - it is 11th out of 26 countries (as of March 27 - it was 8th out of 23 countries);
- in terms of military aid as a share of GDP - it is 14th (as of March 27 - it was 11th);
- in terms of military aid as a share of military spending - it is 17th (as of March 27 - it was 18th).
In terms of the relative size of military aid, Estonia remains the undisputed leader among Ukraine's allies. It sent 220 million euros (240 million dollars) of military aid to the victim of aggression, that is, almost a third of its annual military budget, which is 0.8% of Estonia's GDP or 180 dollars per capita.
The same amount - 220 million euros - was provided to Ukraine by Latvia, which is 29% of its annual military spending, 0.71% of GDP and 127 dollars per capita.
Following Estonia and Latvia in terms of military aid to Ukraine as a share of their own military spending are Poland - almost a quarter (23.6%) - and Slovakia - more than a fifth (21.8%).
These four leading countries, together with Canada and Germany, over three months sent military aid to Ukraine in the amount of $4.5 billion, which is 13% more than the military aid provided by the USA. The total military assistance to Ukraine from these six countries (Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Canada, Germany) turned out to be more than from the US, not only absolutely, but also relatively: per capita - one and a half times, in terms of share in GDP - 2.4 times, in terms of the share in its own military spending - 5.9 times.
In terms of the relative size of military assistance to Ukraine, Estonia is followed by:
- in terms of military aid per capita - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Canada, Lithuania, Germany;
- in terms of military aid as a percentage of GDP - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Canada, Germany;
- in terms of military aid as a share in the military spending of the donor country - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Canada, Ireland.
In relative terms military aid to Ukraine, the United States still lags far behind Estonia:
- in terms of military aid per capita - the US ($11.9) is 15 times behind Estonia ($180);
- in terms of military aid as a percentage of GDP - the US (0.019%) is 41 times behind Estonia (0.78%);
- in terms of the military aid as a share of the military spending of the donor country, the United States (0.50%) is 63 times behind Estonia (31.35%).
From January 24 to April 23, Ukraine's 26 allies provided it with military assistance worth $10.2 billion. On average for these 26 countries, military aid provided to Ukraine over the three months amounted to 0.025% of their combined GDP, 0.89% of their annual military spending, $11.8 per capita.
The military aid provided to Ukraine as of April 23 is 3.6 times more than the estimated total military aid during the first month of the war, from February 24 to March 27. While military assistance from Ukraine's largest allies has grown at a very high rate (from Poland - almost 27 times, Germany - 11 times, Great Britain - 3.7 times), military assistance from the United States increased much more slowly - by only 2.7 times.
In terms of the absolute size of military aid, the United States is still in the lead - 3.9 billion dollars for last three months. However, due to a faster increase in military assistance from other countries, the share of the United States in total military assistance to Ukraine decreased from 52.3% on March 27 to 38.9% on April 23.
In terms of the relative size of military aid, the United States not only lags far behind Ukraine’s other allies, but this gap even widens, being now:
- in terms of military aid per capita - it is 11th out of 26 countries (as of March 27 - it was 8th out of 23 countries);
- in terms of military aid as a share of GDP - it is 14th (as of March 27 - it was 11th);
- in terms of military aid as a share of military spending - it is 17th (as of March 27 - it was 18th).
In terms of the relative size of military aid, Estonia remains the undisputed leader among Ukraine's allies. It sent 220 million euros (240 million dollars) of military aid to the victim of aggression, that is, almost a third of its annual military budget, which is 0.8% of Estonia's GDP or 180 dollars per capita.
The same amount - 220 million euros - was provided to Ukraine by Latvia, which is 29% of its annual military spending, 0.71% of GDP and 127 dollars per capita.
Following Estonia and Latvia in terms of military aid to Ukraine as a share of their own military spending are Poland - almost a quarter (23.6%) - and Slovakia - more than a fifth (21.8%).
These four leading countries, together with Canada and Germany, over three months sent military aid to Ukraine in the amount of $4.5 billion, which is 13% more than the military aid provided by the USA. The total military assistance to Ukraine from these six countries (Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Canada, Germany) turned out to be more than from the US, not only absolutely, but also relatively: per capita - one and a half times, in terms of share in GDP - 2.4 times, in terms of the share in its own military spending - 5.9 times.
In terms of the relative size of military assistance to Ukraine, Estonia is followed by:
- in terms of military aid per capita - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Canada, Lithuania, Germany;
- in terms of military aid as a percentage of GDP - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Canada, Germany;
- in terms of military aid as a share in the military spending of the donor country - Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Canada, Ireland.
In relative terms military aid to Ukraine, the United States still lags far behind Estonia:
- in terms of military aid per capita - the US ($11.9) is 15 times behind Estonia ($180);
- in terms of military aid as a percentage of GDP - the US (0.019%) is 41 times behind Estonia (0.78%);
- in terms of the military aid as a share of the military spending of the donor country, the United States (0.50%) is 63 times behind Estonia (31.35%).